Vibration Analysis of Laminated Composite Panels with Various Fiber Angles

Laminated composite structures have superior material properties such as high stiffness and high strength-to-weight ratio and have been increasingly used in advanced structures such as automobiles to replace conventional metal structures to reduce weight for enhanced energy efficiency. Composite structures in practical working condition are often subjected to external excitation force, which can result in severe vibration problems. This paper investigates the vibration characteristics of rectangular laminated composite panels with various fiber orientations subjected to harmonic loading. Both free and forced vibration analysis have been carried out to obtain natural frequencies and the steady-state dynamic responses. Both analytical and numerical FE methods based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) are used to carry out vibration analysis. The numerical FE analysis is employed to validate the accuracy of proposed analytical method. The vibration transmission behaviour of laminated composite panels is compared with that of steel panels. It is found that fiber orientations have significant influence on vibration characteristics of laminated composite panels. The results explicitly show that natural frequencies and dynamic responses could be altered by designing fiber orientation for vibration mitigation. The findings provide some improved understanding on the structural design of laminated composite structures for enhanced vibration transmission behaviour.